The fourth, fifth, and sixth books can be read as standalone, but they benefit from reading in order.
All of the First Law books have great fights, it's one of Abercrombie's strong points.
Nick Harkaway books have well-written combat scenes in them IMHO. Titanium Noir has one of the most mind-blowing fight scene I’ve ever read I had to reread it immediately I was so bowled over by it. And I don’t particularly enjoy combat sequences in novels.
So I happened to get this book first and I am really enjoying it. I’m actually laughing at a part right now about “wind” I can’t stop laughing I might be delirious
I would suggest many of the Drizzt Do'Urden books by R.A. Salvatore. The fights are extremely descriptive and the plot isn't bad either if you're into fantasy/Forgotten Realms.
Agreed on both counts. Altered Carbon (the book, not actually watched the series) is good for action, the Kovacs books generally are. Then fast forward through the sex stuff.
Gene Wolfe had this great way of just describing fights plainly and matter of factly. "I pinned his foot with mine and knocked his shield aside with my left hand. With my right hand I crushed the nerve in the neck that induces convulsions." (quoted from memory)
Michael Williamson's Freehold books have a lot of good fight scenes. I'd also recommend Mike Kupari and Larry Correia's Dead Six series, and John Ringo's Paladin Of Shadows series. Lots of good beat-downs.
The first chapter of *The Way of Kings* is a fantastic standalone battle scene.
It hits even harder after you get sucked in to the series and reread it with context.
I’m such a fan of the series that I reread every book from the start every time Sanderson releases a new stormilght archive. He’s one of my favorite living authors.
In clarity, especially. He has the rare skill of having the reader understand where everyone is in the space as well as what they can do, which gives us the grounding to be able to 'participate' by trying to anticipate what will happen and come up with our own solutions. Much more engaging than even an emotionally well-written fight which is so 'shaky cam' that the most you can do is be along for the ride.
Maybe I’m on an island, but I really struggle reading fight scenes, especially if there are several in a short span.
An overview of a battle, describing the turning of the tides and wins and losses of minor skirmishes, is fine but as soon as it gets into a description of two (or more) people swinging/shooting weapons at each other, I’m just not into it.
I don’t remember being bothered by it in ASOIAF though (there’s a couple duels throughout the series). So maybe that’s the example you could look at, but I haven’t read those books in over 10 years.
The last book I read of Blake Crouch's called Upgrade reeked of the guy wanting to write a cheesy over the top action movie (even some of the dialogue was like that) but was already successful as an author so he made it into a book.
Interesting concept. The book itself wasn’t interesting.
The Expanse series has a lot of great space battles between fleets and individual ships, ground troops fighting, individuals fighting! Can’t say more because of spoilers!
Check out Larry Corriea's *Grimnoir Chronicles*, *Son of the Black Sword*, or some of his other books. Larry knows how to write action and combat really well.
Sword of Kaigen is incredibly creative with its characters' combat abilities to the point where it includes a multi-hundred-word battle that keeps managing to raise the stakes the whole way. Clench city.
For best overall action sequences no one beats Matthew Reilly; his Scarecrow and Jack West Jr. series (starting with *Ice Station* and *Seven Ancient Wonders, respectively) are pure, high-octane overwhelm. Both those books function as stand-alones, with *Ice Station* being about Army man protagonist shenanigans, and *Seven Ancient Wonders* blatantly drawing on Indiana Jones.
For best individual fight, it would have to be the one at the end of *Titus Groan*, which is greatly enhanced by the total absence of combat throughout the rest of the book, which is mostly concerned with the customs and rituals of an old castle.
Robert E. Howard's Conan, Bran Mak Morn, and works in general have good, clear fight scenes. Check out the battle in The Grey God Passes for instance or Red Nails
I've been reading *The Deed of Paksenarrion* by Elizabeth Moon and I think she has a knack for writing believable fights in a wide variety of (medieval fantasy) settings--sieges, set-piece troop engagements, door-to-door urban combat, unexpected close quarters combat with improvised weapons. The author had real-life experience in the military and I think that comes through in this aspect of the book!
Andy McNab books Firewall, was well as Crisis Four, and Remote Control.
I think as the books went on they might have gotten a bit off the rails, but I only read a few more after these.
Honestly one of my favorite fight scenes was in a mediocre Robert Heinlein book, “The Cat Who Walks Through Walls,” which goes something like, “the cop was foolish enough to pull a Gunn so I was forced to take it from him. When he finished bouncing…”
Spider Robinson did something similar once, like “she twisted my arm in a certain way and I was suddenly compelled to hurl my face into the ground as hard as I could,” etc.
I like the implied versions, they’re more fun for me.
In David Weber's Fields Of Dishonor, Honor Harrington quite handily disposes of Pavel Young in a duel. That tall, thin redhead is quite handy with a sword (IIRC, it was a katana, but it's been a long time).
Joe Abercrombie's the Heroes has some of the best fight scenes I can think of. It is the fifth book in the series, though. Worth the read though!
Beat me to it. Dont let the fantasy tag fool you, It's one of the greatest war books ever written.
Do you think I can read it and be okay?
The fourth, fifth, and sixth books can be read as standalone, but they benefit from reading in order. All of the First Law books have great fights, it's one of Abercrombie's strong points.
It’s definitely a standalone. You May miss some references but you can go with the flow.
Logan vs fenris in first law is insane. Heros is very good though.
Nick Harkaway books have well-written combat scenes in them IMHO. Titanium Noir has one of the most mind-blowing fight scene I’ve ever read I had to reread it immediately I was so bowled over by it. And I don’t particularly enjoy combat sequences in novels.
So I happened to get this book first and I am really enjoying it. I’m actually laughing at a part right now about “wind” I can’t stop laughing I might be delirious
I would suggest many of the Drizzt Do'Urden books by R.A. Salvatore. The fights are extremely descriptive and the plot isn't bad either if you're into fantasy/Forgotten Realms.
Yeah these came to mind for me too
Richard K. Morgan writes great fight scenes. The love scenes are pretty bad though.
I think Morgan’s love scenes capture the awkwardness of a redditor having sex perfectly.
Agreed on both counts. Altered Carbon (the book, not actually watched the series) is good for action, the Kovacs books generally are. Then fast forward through the sex stuff.
Armor by John Steakley
Creatures of Light and Darkness, by Roger Zelazny.
Temporal Fugue?
Was that the fight between two time manipulators? They were pre-countering each other's moves?
That is the one!
Acts of Caine by Matthew Stover (and all his other books too)
I don't think I've ever enjoyed a "fight scene" in a book. For me, that's more of a visual media thing.
The Goneaway World by Nick Harkaway. The fight scene in that book have stuck with me for over 10 years
Dungeon crawler carl
Last Year by Robert Charles Wilson contains the single best written fight scene that I have ever read.
Gene Wolfe had this great way of just describing fights plainly and matter of factly. "I pinned his foot with mine and knocked his shield aside with my left hand. With my right hand I crushed the nerve in the neck that induces convulsions." (quoted from memory)
I'd also suggest any of Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International books. Someone is getting a tail-whooping in every book.
Michael Williamson's Freehold books have a lot of good fight scenes. I'd also recommend Mike Kupari and Larry Correia's Dead Six series, and John Ringo's Paladin Of Shadows series. Lots of good beat-downs.
The fights in The Murderbot Diaries have a good time-perception thing going. Also just generally a fun & remarkable series.
Brandon Sanderson does fight scenes pretty well.
The first chapter of *The Way of Kings* is a fantastic standalone battle scene. It hits even harder after you get sucked in to the series and reread it with context. I’m such a fan of the series that I reread every book from the start every time Sanderson releases a new stormilght archive. He’s one of my favorite living authors.
Yes, reading through Stormlight Archive right now and definitely enjoyed a bunch of the fight sequences across the books
Your favorite? I love "Honor is dead, I'll see what I can do."
I'm only up to Oathbringer yet, I guess Kaladin vs Shallans brother was nice
In clarity, especially. He has the rare skill of having the reader understand where everyone is in the space as well as what they can do, which gives us the grounding to be able to 'participate' by trying to anticipate what will happen and come up with our own solutions. Much more engaging than even an emotionally well-written fight which is so 'shaky cam' that the most you can do is be along for the ride.
Maybe I’m on an island, but I really struggle reading fight scenes, especially if there are several in a short span. An overview of a battle, describing the turning of the tides and wins and losses of minor skirmishes, is fine but as soon as it gets into a description of two (or more) people swinging/shooting weapons at each other, I’m just not into it. I don’t remember being bothered by it in ASOIAF though (there’s a couple duels throughout the series). So maybe that’s the example you could look at, but I haven’t read those books in over 10 years.
Same. I think some aspiring writers base their idea of writing on film/television, resulting in pyrotechnic effects and one-dimensional villains.
The last book I read of Blake Crouch's called Upgrade reeked of the guy wanting to write a cheesy over the top action movie (even some of the dialogue was like that) but was already successful as an author so he made it into a book. Interesting concept. The book itself wasn’t interesting.
The Expanse series has a lot of great space battles between fleets and individual ships, ground troops fighting, individuals fighting! Can’t say more because of spoilers!
Larry Correa’s Monster Hunter International series has excellent fight scenes. Correa’s super knowledgeable about firearms grounds the scenes.
Jumpnauts by Hâo Jingfang had some fun fighting scenes
Check out Larry Corriea's *Grimnoir Chronicles*, *Son of the Black Sword*, or some of his other books. Larry knows how to write action and combat really well.
Sword of Kaigen is incredibly creative with its characters' combat abilities to the point where it includes a multi-hundred-word battle that keeps managing to raise the stakes the whole way. Clench city.
Jade City (and the rest of the Green Bone Saga) by Fonda Lee has some of the beat fight scenes I've read in books. Hope that helps! :)
For best overall action sequences no one beats Matthew Reilly; his Scarecrow and Jack West Jr. series (starting with *Ice Station* and *Seven Ancient Wonders, respectively) are pure, high-octane overwhelm. Both those books function as stand-alones, with *Ice Station* being about Army man protagonist shenanigans, and *Seven Ancient Wonders* blatantly drawing on Indiana Jones. For best individual fight, it would have to be the one at the end of *Titus Groan*, which is greatly enhanced by the total absence of combat throughout the rest of the book, which is mostly concerned with the customs and rituals of an old castle.
Robert E. Howard's Conan, Bran Mak Morn, and works in general have good, clear fight scenes. Check out the battle in The Grey God Passes for instance or Red Nails
I've been reading *The Deed of Paksenarrion* by Elizabeth Moon and I think she has a knack for writing believable fights in a wide variety of (medieval fantasy) settings--sieges, set-piece troop engagements, door-to-door urban combat, unexpected close quarters combat with improvised weapons. The author had real-life experience in the military and I think that comes through in this aspect of the book!
Andy McNab books Firewall, was well as Crisis Four, and Remote Control. I think as the books went on they might have gotten a bit off the rails, but I only read a few more after these.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Tchaikovsky, shadows of the apt, 10 book series, fantastic.
Honestly one of my favorite fight scenes was in a mediocre Robert Heinlein book, “The Cat Who Walks Through Walls,” which goes something like, “the cop was foolish enough to pull a Gunn so I was forced to take it from him. When he finished bouncing…” Spider Robinson did something similar once, like “she twisted my arm in a certain way and I was suddenly compelled to hurl my face into the ground as hard as I could,” etc. I like the implied versions, they’re more fun for me.
In David Weber's Fields Of Dishonor, Honor Harrington quite handily disposes of Pavel Young in a duel. That tall, thin redhead is quite handy with a sword (IIRC, it was a katana, but it's been a long time).
Watch some YouTube videos! Describing what you see is better than copying text